Truck lifting device



March 27, 1934. NEUMAN 1,952,138

TRUCK LIFTING DEVICE Filed July 31. 1931 x N I lNvENToR 15 15 JamJ/Vw/za/z 12115 AT1-0R Y Patented Mar. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENToFFicE TRUCK LIFTING DEVICE EET Jacob J. Neuman, Jamaica, N. Y.

Application July 31, 1931, Serial No. 554,186

l'Claim. (C1. 251-93) ..1 l,

This invention relates to improved truck lifting devices, and has forits primary object and purpose to provide a very simple andeasilyinstalled pneumatically operated liftingdevice for the purpose ofdischarging or dumping the loads of small electrically operated trucks,such as are generally used in warehouses for the purpose of transportingmaterials yfrom place to place.

It is another object of the invention to provide a truck lifting deviceembodying a vertically movable plunger having a suitable platform on itsupper end, the surface of which is normally positioned flush with thefloor surface and is adapted to receive and support the front wheels ofthe truck, together with means for subjecting said plunger to theinfluence of compressed air whereby the front end of the truck is bodilyraised or lifted to thereby discharge the truck contents by gravity uponan adjacent conveyor for transportation to a desired point.

It is a further general object of the invention to provide a trucklifting device of the above character which will be highly convenientand service- 'able for the intended purpose, is strong and dur- 'able inits construction and can be installed and operated at relatively lowcost.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention consists in theimproved truck lifting device, and in the form, construction andrelative arrangement of the several parts as will be hereinafter morefully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, andsubsequently incorporated in the subjoined claim.

In the drawing, wherein I have disclosed one simple and practicalembodiment of my present improvements, and in which similar referencecharacters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,-

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view, showing the normal position ofthe plunger in full lines and the elevated or raised position thereof indotted lines, and

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2of Fig. 1.

As herein shown, I have illustrated a horizontally traveling conveyor 5upon which the contents of the truck 6 are adapted to be dumped to beconveyed to a required station or point. The truck 6 may be of theelectrically operated type now in general use for transporting heavyloads, and is provided with front and rear sets of supporting wheelsindicated at '7 and 8 respectively.

At a point suitably spaced from one side or the conveyor 5, a stop baror cleat 9 is secured to the floor surface for engagement by the reartruck wheels 8 whereby the rear end of the truck platform is properlypositioned relative to the conveyor.

In laterally spaced relation from the cleat 9, the concrete floorstructure 10 is provided with an elongated recess ll therein and anopening 1 2 extending through said iioor structure centrally of therecess which receives the upper end of the plunger cylinder 13 extendingdownwardly into the ground. The lower end of this cylinder isdiametrically enlarged as at 14 and preferably has a concavo-convexbottom wall 15, the convex outer surface of which is supported upon anumber of spaced bricks 16 embedded in the concave upper surface of aconcrete base 17. There is thereby provided a substantial and firmfoundation for the lower end ofthe cylinder insuring permanency in theposition of said cylinder with respect to the floor structure 10 andpreventing its displacement under the action of the high pressure airwhich is admitted to the enlarged lower end portion 14 thereof.

A cap ange or ring 18 is secured upon the upper end of the cylinder andlocated within the recess 11. Preferably, this ring is rigidly securedto the cylinder end by means of a number of spaced bolts 19 welded orotherwise permanently fixed to the outer surface of the cylinder wallhaving threaded upper ends which pass through spaced openings in thering A18 and receive the clamping nuts indicated at 20.

The plunger 21 is vertically slidable in the cylinder 13 and adjacentits upper end is provided with an annular shoulder 22 resting on theinner edge of the ring 18 in the normal position of said plunger. Thisupper end of the plunger is rigidly xed to the under side of the plateor platform 23 which extends substantially the full length of the recess11 and the upper surface of which is normally ush with the surface ofthe floor l0. There is also welded or otherwise permanently secured tothe under side of said platform at its opposite longitudinal edges, thereinforcing channel shaped beams 24 which extend substantially the fulldepth of the recess 11 in 100 the normal position of the platform andmaterially reinforce and stabilize the platform structure in respect tothe upper end of the plunger.

The plate or platform 23 is further provided on its upper surface and atits opposite ends with 165 the guide ribs indicated at 25 which limitshifting movement of the truck wheels laterally on the surface of theplatform.

Air under high pressure is supplied to the lower n end 14 of the plungercylinder through the ver- 110 tically extending pipe 26 to which,adjacent its upper end, the horizontally extending pipe 27 is joined orconnected. This latter pipe extends above the iloor surface at anydesired point and is provided therein at a convenient location with thehand valve indicated at 28 whereby the supply of compressed air to thepipe 26 may be conveniently controlled. Below this supply valve, thepipe line is provided with a laterally extending exhaust connection 29having a hand valve 30. It will thus be readily understood that byclosing valve 28 and opening the valve 30, the air may be exhausted fromcylinder 13 in the downward movement of plunger 2l to its normalposition.

Surface water from the floor l0 entering the recess 11 is collected inan annular trough 3l surrounding the cylinder 13 and carried oirtherefrom by the drain pipe 32.

From the above description, the operation of the device will be readilyunderstood. With the plunger 2l in its normal position and the uppersurface of the platform 23 iiush with the surface of the floor l0, thetruck with its load is driven or moved to the position shown in Fig. lwith its rear wheels in Contact with the stop bar 9 and the front wheels7 thereof positioned upon the platform between the guide ribs 25. Thevalve 28 is then opened to admit compressed air to the lower end of thecylinder 13 whereby the plunger 2l is moved upwardly therein, thusraising platform 23, and elevating the front end of the truckaccordingly. In this hoisting movement of the plunger, `the front truckwheels 7 have a rolling movement on the upper surface of the platform.Thus, the body of the truck is disposed at such an inclination that theload carried thereby, indicated in the drawing as consisting of bags ofsugar B, is caused to move by gravity and be discharged from the truckupon the upper stretch of the conveyor 5.

After the truck load has been dumped or discharged, valve 28 is closedand exhaust valve 3Q opened. Owing to the relatively large volume of airin the lower end 14 of the cylinder 13 and the displacement of the airbelow the piston into said enlarged end of the cylinder, the downwardmovement of the piston and the platform to normal position will beproperly cushioned.

stability and durability in a structure of this kind.

I have herein shown and described a practical embodiment of my presentimprovements, which has been found highly satisfactory in service, butit will nevertheless, be understood that the essential features thereofmight also be incorporated in Various other alternative forms, and Iaccordingly reserve the privilege of resorting to all such legitimatechanges therein as may be fairly considered within the spirit and scopeof the invention as claimed.

I claim:

A hoisting device comprising a flooring structure provided with ashallow rectangular chamber adjacent the outer surface and an enlargedchamber connected thereto by a vertical passageway at a lower level, anelongated sleeve housed in the passageway and having an enlarged lowerportion to register with the enlarged chamber, a ring fixed to the upperend of the sleeve for holding the same within the passageway, said ringregistering internally with the sleeve and projecting outwardlytherefrom to rest upon the bottom of the rectangular chamber, anelongated plunger slidably mounted in .the sleeve, an enlarged headcarried on said plunger to Contact with the ring and support the plungerin lower position, a platform secured to the .enlarged head to cover therectangular chamber in said position and movable with said plunger, apair of reinforcing members fixed to the platform and contacting withthe bottom of the rectangular chamber to support the platform in loweredposition, and means for supplying and controlling compressed air to theenlarged lower portion of the sleeve for raising and lowering theplunger.

JACOB J. NEUMAN.

